Vending machine



J, W, STARR ET AL Jan. 15, 1935.A

VENDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 2, 1933 .E 6 wb. Je. 6 w u .c/

W f of I i qc 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M a 266W@ J. W. STARR El AL Jan. 15, 1935.

VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1933 Jan. 15, 1935. y

J. W. STARR ET AL.

VENDI NG MACHI NE Filed Feb. 2, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 J. W Sarr Jan, 15, 1935. J. w. STARR ET AL VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2 1933 Patented Jan. 145A, 17935 UNITE-DL STA PAfTljfE1511+,A oFfFlCEi Y vENninQMACHINE l John W`.St'arr'andCarV1-adine BifElliott, Kansas Y City, Mm, assignorslto The Cigavend;Corpora-r ltion,t-Kansas-0ity,f Mo.

This-[invention relates to improvementsin case, and vthese-walls Acarryvspaced supporting.' vending machines, and more especially to a novel bars 11- and 12 which extend` l'engthwiseofthe machine. for use in Vending slender articles'such case and are' adaptedl to support 'a plurality; of as cigarettes. .1. cigarette boxesor magazines 13 arrangedinin-q.:v

-r One of the objects of theIinVentiOnis toprosr clined positiongside bysidefas best shownl in 51 vide a cigarette vending machine-'designedto Fig. .1.v These boxes are madey oie-'tin and eachA Vend cigarettes directly from the original packis designed to hold fifty cigarettes 14, twenty-five: agesand the machine is'constructedparticularly of; .these cigarettesbeing; positionedf'atoneside tovend cigarettes from therconventionall iiat tin. ofthe package, and twenty-ve atfl the other side.;

lo boxes which hold fty cigarettes .arranged inrojwsfv f Before the cigaretteipackagesare placediinxthe s l0 side by side. machineaan -nclinedguidei member 15 is slipped Another object ofthe invention is to furnish rinto the front portion of each package beneath;

a cigarette `vending machinevwhichrwill comply.; the usual paper sheet '16 which surrounds the with the Federal laws, both withregardA to ex-f cigarettes, and whenthe package isplaced in the hibiting the broken seal or stamp, 'andalsoidis-.r machinathe front end V1'? oithispaper sheet is l5 playing Ythe usual notice which isimpressed on i folded overithe front end of the box, andthe :latthe packages. i l ter is'placed` on the spaced supporting bars 11- A further object is to supply a vending' ma-'f` and 12,V as bestv shown-"in Fig. 3. chine'designed to operate on the .cigarettesin'a :It: will be noted thatv each box has a hinged plurality of packages; the mechanism beingisuchi. cover "17in,l and a glass closed window 18 in the 20 that the cigarettes are vendedl successively from .l topfofY-,the casepermits the covers,` as Well'as-the the rows, within .one box andy then successively. stampsgonthe-frontend 'oi the same to loe-seen;H from the rows in a second box. Y Furthermore, asthe barsk 1'1 and' 12 lare spaced,k

Astill further object is'to provide a cigarette afwindow,l 19 in the back 'of the case permits the vending machine controlled: by. coin' operated; usual notice onthe bottom'of the box to b'eread25i.

mechanism so that a single cigarette may be'soldi by 'means 'of a mirror 20 which `is placed in an f for onecent. l y a inclined'positionbeneath the box supports.

With the foregoing objectsy outlinedr andlwithf A cross" rod 2-1 functions asa support'fo'r the" other objects in View which will appear as they paper sheetsof the boxes, and the rod-issupportedY description proceeds, theinventionconsiststin by PIBGSZZ Whicharefvertically arranged 3516.130*- the novel features hereinafter described.- indefi; secured to'thexwallslO', andeachof these platesl tail, illustrated in the accompanyingy drawings, sprovidedwith-aV-shaped slot`23, which-slots and more particularly pointed out in the apffunction as guidesior.'aired 24,' on'I which'are" pended claims. hinged followers 25. Each of theaboxes -is sup- 35.5` Referring to the drawings. 7 'c Y v ported in an inclined position to facilitateieedingr 35:2

Fig.y 1 is a perspective View of ourimproved cigarettes from thel same,'and it will be noted machine. y thatvtheguide locooperates with the bottom-,of

Fig. 2 is a longitudinalvertical sectionahviewthe box to form a substantially' Vshaped'sur-face' z of the same, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. whichl isV substantially parallel tjothe slots' 23.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectionalview These ollowersgas bleSt ShOWIlIIl'Fg 5,'81'0 PrO- 4051 taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. vided with medial notches l26 to accommodatefthe f Fig. 4 is a View partly in elevation and partly arms27of vertically disposed dividers whichiare in section, taken on the line. 4-4 ofFig.l 2. i adapted to rest in the cigarette boxes andto divide Fig. 5 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional the layersof cigarettes at one side of* the package f View taken on the line 5-5 ofk Fig. 2.v from thelayers of cigarettes at the otherside of` 45:3

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig.`3, but patlyi thefpackage.r j y l elevation, and showing particular positions, of E'ach divider is pivotally mounted on a shaft 28;- parts of the mechanism at the time when a dump so that` the dividersmay bejswung `upwardly `and plate is open. Y forwardly when they cigarette packages'larejto be;r Fig. '7 is a sectional view of a'detaiL'tak'en on` placed lin the'machine; f f 505 the line 7-7 of Fig. 2. V lT'romfFig` 5, itfrnay also benseen that: coiled In the drawings, 8 designatesa base which sup# springs 29k on the vfollower rod-24 lare securedto i ports a removable cover or case 9; -r 1 the followers 25 for thepurpose of urgingthe fol Side plates or -supporting walls l0 are rigidly.; lowers toward the bottoms ci the cigarettelooxesfY mounted on the` base. and arranged .withinv theig and-each,springjpreferablyg has onezof; its: ends'r 45 5;

secured to a follower, and its other end secured to the follower rod.

From Fig. 5 it may be seen that the plates 22 are spaced from the walls 10 to accommodate chains 30, each of which has one of its ends secured to one of the ends of the rod 24, and its other end connected to a reel 31. 'Ihere are two of these reels, and they are mounted on the end portions of a shaft 32 which is journaled in the walls 10, and this shaft is provided with a mutilated gear 33 that is fast on the shaft, and is actuated by the single tooth 34 of a mutilated gear 35 which is fixed to the shaft 28, as in Fig. 7.

Each time the shaft 28 makes a complete revolution, the tooth 34 will move the shaft 32 one step, and this will cause the chains 30 to move the followers 25 a distance equal to half the thickness of a cigarette, and consequently, the layers of cigarettes in the boxes will be fed forward -step by step during the operation of the machine. When the boxes have been emptied, the tooth 34 will reach the untoothed portion 36 of the gear 33, and consequently, even if the machine is actuated, the followers will not be moved.

For guide purposes, the chains pass about pulleys 37a mounted on a rod 38a which connects walls 10.

The followers feed the cigarettes from the box on to a relatively narrow guide plate 38 which is arranged in an inclined position and has its ends secured to the walls 10 by any suitable means such as bolts 39.

In order to control the passage of the cigarettes from the plate 38, the machine is provided with a number of gates 40 and dump plates 41. As there are four rows of layers of cigarettes in two of the flat packages, the present machine has four gates 40 and four dump plates 41, and it will be understood that if the machine is to be used with a single package, only two gates and two dump plates would be used. However, if the machine was built for more than two packages, more than four gates and dump plates would be employed.

The gates are pivotally suspended from the shaft 38a, and the dump plates are pivotally mounted on a shaft 43. Each dump plate has a recess 44 to accommodate a single cigarette, and from Fig. 6 it will be noted that when the dump plate is in dumping position, the gate 40 is in such position as to prevent the following cigarettes from dropping down on to the delivery plate 45.

Pairs of fingers 46 and 47 are rigidly mounted on the shaft 28, and these fingers are at such angles to one another as to operate successively on the gates and dump plates. The ngers 46 actuate the gates, and to prevent them from operating the dump plates, each dump plate has a slot or notch 48 in its upper end.

The fingers 47 in their movement, strike the upper ends 49 of the dump plates, and move the same in a clock-wise direction.

Normally, the dump plates are held in contact with the guide plate 38 by means of springs 50, each having one of its ends connected to a dump plate and its other end connected to a cross bar 51.

When the machine is not in operation, the gates 40 rest against the dump plates.

From the foregoing it is believed it will be understood that the shaft 28 controls the operation of the machine, and it will be noted that this shaft hasits end'portions journaled in the walls 10, and one of its extremities is provided with a ratchet wheel 52 having four notches 53 to accord With the number of dump plates. A lever 54 is pivotally mounted onv the shaft and carries a pivotally mounted pawl 55 which is urged toward the ratchet wheel by a spring 56. It will be understood that when the lever 54 is moved 90 degrees, it will actuate the shaft 28 one step in a counter-clock-wise direction, as seen in Fig. 4, and movement of the shaft in the opposite direction is prevented by a stop pawl 57, which is pivotally mounted at 58 on one of the walls l0, and is pulled toward the pawl by a spring 59.

The tail 60 of the lever extends through a slot 61 in a bracket 62 which is secured to a conventional coin operated mechanism 63. When there is no coin in the machine, actuation of the slide bar 64 of the coin control will move the bracket 62, but less than degrees, so the machine will not operate unless a coin is placed in the same. When a coin is placed in the machine, and the slide bar 64 is pushed inwardly, the bracket 62 will shift the lever 54 ninety degrees, and consequently, the shaft 28 will be moved a quarter of a turn. This will cause oneof the lingers 46 to push its associated gate 40 inwardly, and to cause any cigarettes which are engaging the gate to be pushed back on to the plate 38. During this quarter turn of the shaft 28, the other finger 47 of that particular pair of fingers will strike the upper end of the corresponding dump plate with the result that the parts will be moved from the position shown in Fig. 3, to the position shown in Fig. 6, and a single cigarette will be dropped on to the delivery plate 45.

Owing to the fact that the fingers are at different angles to one another, it will be understood that the gates and dump plates will be progressively actuated, and during a complete revolution of the shaft 28, a single cigarette will be fed from each row of cigarettes in the boxes. As the shaft 28 completes its rotation, the tooth 34 on the same will cooperate with the mechanism with which it is connected, to feed both followers forward the required distance to move a pair of cigarettes from the front end of each row on to the gravitating guide plate 38.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of our vending machine may be readily understood, and it is manifest that changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A vending machine comprising a cigarette magazine, guiding means for receiving cigarettes fed from the magazine, a gate to prevent discharge of cigarettes from the machine, a dump plate cooperating with the gate for releasing a cigarette from the machine while the gate is closed, said gate and dump plate, while the machine is at rest, obstructing the release of cigarettes from the guiding means, and manually operated means common to the gate and dump plate and operatively connected to said gate and dump plate for successively actuating the gate and dump plate.

2. A vending machine comprising a relatively fiat cigarette magazine having an imperforate bottom, and arranged at a slight inclination to the horizontal, a gate to prevent discharge of cigarettes from the machine, a dump plate cooperating with the gate for releasing a cigarette from the machine while the gate is closed, means for successively actuating the lgate and dump plate, a guide plate positioned at the lower end of the magazine and sloping downwardly toward the opposite end of the magazine for guiding cigarettes anemia from f the latter," and: 'means forl-` feeding i the cigal plate/and operatively connected 'to said. gate4 rettes from the" magazine. -1

3. A vending'machine comprising alcigarette'- magazine, and means-'for feeding.' cigarettes from thev magazine, said feeding meansv including "a rod, means-for guiding -therodiin a path parallely to the bottom of the magazine,afollower pivot-` ally mounted: on the rod and slidable alongthe bottom ofthe magazine, and resilient means Vfor urging: the follower toward the bottom ofsaid magazine; A

4. A vending machine comprisingacigarette magazine andmeansvf'or feeding cigarettesfrom the magazine, said feeding means including slottedplates, a shaftguidedby'the slotsof the plates in a path parallel to the bottomof the"magazine,}

a follower mounted` on theshaft and' extending into said magazine, and resilient means'for urging the follower toward the bottom of vsaid magazine,"

5. A vending vmachine:comprising a'cig'ar'ette magazine and means forffeedingcigarettes-from the magazine, said magazine' having asubstan'- tially V-shaped bottom surface on which the cigarettes rest, said feeding ymeans including plates arranged at thersides of themagazine and provided with V-shaped guide slots, a rod having its ends guided by said slots, means for moving said rod step by step along the slots, and a follower carried by the rod and extending into said maga- Zllle.

6. A vending machine comprising a cigarette magazine and means for feeding cigarettes from the magazine, said feeding means including plates arranged at the sides of the magazine and provided with V-shaped guide slots, a rod guided by said slots, a follower secured to the rod and extending into the magazine, a reel shaft, reels mounted on said shaft, chains having their ends connected to the reels and to said rod, a mutilated gear fixed to said shaft, and another mutilated gear for actuating the ilrst mentioned gear.

'7. A vending machine comprising a cigarette magazine and means for feeding cigarettes from the magazine, said magazine having an inclined guide plate at one end thereof to form with the bottom of the magazine a substantially V-shaped supporting surface, said feeding means including a follower extending into the magazine, and substantially V-shaped guides for the follower arranged approximately parallel to said supporting surface.

8. A vending machine comprising a magazine from which cigarettes are to be discharged, guiding means for receiving cigarettes fed from the magazine, a gate arranged transversely of the guiding means and engageable with the sides of the cigarettes to normally prevent discharge of cigarettes from the machine, a dump plate cooperating with the gate for releasing a cigarette from the machine while the gate is closed, said gate and dump plate obstructing the release of cigarettes from the guiding means while the machine is at rest, and means for successively actuating the gate and dump plate, said gate being pivotally suspended.

9. A vending machine comprising a magazine from which cigarettes are to be discharged, guiding means for receiving cigarettes fed from the magazine, a gate to prevent discharge of cigarettes from the machine, a dump plate cooperating with the gate for releasing a cigarette fromv the machine while' the gate is closed, said gate and dump plate obstructing the release of cigarettes from the guiding means while the machine is at rest, and manually operated. means-f common vto #the gate andl dump and'dump: plate forsuccessively actuating the gate and dump plate;`r said `dump plate having a; recess r to i accommodate a single cigarette.

10. fAv Vending` machine' comprising a magazinev from which 'cigarettes lare to: be discharged, a gate topreventl discharge of. cigarettes from the machine; a dump'plate-cooperating with the gate forreleasingfa cigarette fromthe machine. while from which cigarettes are to be discharged, a gate to prevent discharge of cigarettes from the ma-l chinea dump plate cooperatingwith the gate for releasingfa cigarettefromthe machine while the gate'is closedpand meansfor successively actuating the-gate and. "dumpkplate, the last.

mentioned?means;including; al shaft, andv a pair oif` fingers onssaid'shafti cooperating kwith the gateanddump plate.ltofsuccessively. move the i same, the dump plate having a cut-away portion to permit one of the fingers to pass by the dump plate Without actuating the latter.

12.-A vending machine comprising a magazine from which cigarettes are to be discharged, gates to prevent discharge of cigarettes from the machine, dump plates cooperating with the gates for releasing cigarettes from the machine while `the gates are closed, means for successively actuating the gates and dump plates, and a pivotally mounted vertically disposed divider extending into the box for maintaining the cigarettes in rows arranged side by side, each gate and its associated dump plate controlling the feed of cigarettes from one of the rows of cigarettes.

13. A vending machine comprising a magazine from which cigarettes are to be discharged, a gate to prevent the discharge of cigarettes from the machine, a dump plate cooperating with the gate for releasing a cigarette from the machine While the gate is closed, means for successively actuating the gate and dump plate, a guide plate positioned in one end of the magazine and sloping downwardly away from said end for guiding cigarettes from the magazine, and a narrow second guide plate positioned between said end of the magazine and the dump plate and oppositely inclined downwardly away from said end.

14. A coin controlled vending machine comprising a magazine from which cigarettes are to be discharged, agate to prevent discharge of cigarettes from the machine, a dump plate cooperating with the gate for releasing a cigarette from the machine while the gate is closed, a manually operated means common to the gate and dump plate and operatively connected to said gate and dump plate for successively actuating the gate and dump plate, the last mentioned means including a shaft provided with a ratchet wheel, and a lever pivotally mounted on said shaft and provided with a pawl cooperating with the ratchet wheel, and means for actuating said lever.

15. In a vending machine a magazine from which cigarettes are to be discharged, an inclined guide plate, a plurality of pivotally mounted gates adapted to cooperate with the plate for preventing cigarettes from rolling off the same, a plurality of pivotally mounted dump plates against which the gates may abut, each dump plate having a cigarette receiving recess, and

means for successively actuating first one of the gates and then one of the dump plates for holding cigarettes on the guide plate while a cigarette is dropped by the dump plate.

16. In a vending machine a magazine from which cigarettes are to be discharged, an inclined guide plate, a plurality of pivotally mounted gates adapted to cooperate with the plate for preventing cigarettes from rolling off the same, a plurality of pivotally mounted dump plates against which the gates may abut, each dump plate having a. cigarette receiving recess, means for successively actuating first one of the gates and then one of the dump plates for holding cigarettes on the guide plate while a cigarette is dropped by the dump plate, and springs for yieldingly holding the dump plates in closed position.

17. A vending machine comprising a magazine from which cigarettes are to be discharged, a gate for controlling the discharge of cigarettes from the magazinea stationary delivery plate to receive cigarettes from the machine, a dump plate arranged above the delivery plate and cooperating with the gate for obstructing the release of a cigarette from the magazine' while the gate is open, and manually operated means common to the gate and dump plate and operatively connected to said gate and dump plate for successively closing said gate and opening the dump plate to release a cigarette from the magazine on to said delivery plate.

18. A vending machine comprising a magazine from which cigarettes are to be discharged, a gate to prevent the discharge of cigarettes from the machine, guiding means for the cigarettes arranged between the magazine and gate, said gate extending transversely of the guiding means and engageable with the sides of the cigarettes, a dump plate cooperating with the gate for releasing a cigarette from the machine while the gate is closed, said gate and dump plate obstructing the passage of cigarettes from the guiding means, and means for successively actuating the gate and dump plate to cause the gate to move to a position over the guiding means and for causing the dump plate to drop a cigarette.

JOHN W. STARR. CARRADINE B. ELLIOTT. 

